Sunday Again

You can just tell these are summertime clouds.  So pretty.

Another week has flown by.  And now, the beginning of a new week ahead.  Lots of possibilities.  If you could plan this week the way you wanted it to be and knew that it would all work out that way, what would that look like?  Some begin the new year with yearly resolutions, but how about monthly, weekly, daily, hourly?  

Breaking time down isn't easy because things change so quickly that just when you think you have something figured out you pretty much have to cross it off the list (whether it's in your head or on paper) and begin again.  Every Sunday that rolls around is, for me, almost like beginning a new year.  I look on the calendar to the week ahead and hope and dream that this week will be without too many surprises.  I'm just so happy when I can just buckle down and do my work.  But we all know it doesn't work that way.

Our church gave us (the congregation) a prayer request card to fill out for the year that people within our church will pray for us in regards to that request.  Our request was for us to exhibit the fruit of the Spirit to each other and to others.  Now for those of you who do not know what the fruit of the Spirit is, it's from Galatians 5:22 in the New Testament of the Bible.  And here they are:

*love

*joy

*peace

*patience

*kindness

*goodness

*faithfulness

*gentleness

*self-control

When we ask Jesus into our lives, our lives should have the fruit of the Spirit.  Because of Christ and what he did for us on the cross, we are to be changed to be more like Him.  I have this list written down in my prayer notebook and read it every morning and pray for it, but oh how difficult to carry through!!!  I constantly look at the list and think about how many times I have probably grieved the Holy Spirit through my lack of love, or joy, or peace, or patience, or kindness, or goodness, or faithfulness, or gentleness, or self-control.  Can I get an "Amen?"   

Every week seems to bring some kind of situation in where I'm constantly humbled.  Where the Lord is trying to teach me something (which is good and a blessing because I don't want Him to leave me alone in my sinfulness).  And I know I won't be perfect in all these ways until I get to Heaven, but my hope is that with our church praying for us and we praying for ourselves in this area, that the Year of our Lord 2018 will be the breakthrough year.  That the fruit of the Spirit will be the norm rather than the exception.  Because I really do want to have all of these within me.  I don't want difficult situations or people to be the excuse for my flying off the handle.  I would so much rather have patience and self-control.  I don't want to be in constant worry or fear but would rather have peace.  I don't want to be a little rough around the edges but would rather have gentleness.

In saying all of this, there is evil in this life (Satan) and he really wants to ruin any chance for us to have peace, self-control, love, joy, etc..........all he is interested in is ruining us and our relationships and anything/anyone else that we hold dear.  So, I pray to be on guard and I pray for God's protection.  I can either let the frustrations turn into anger and say things that I need to take back, or I can remind myself that God does not want for me to react in an ungodly manner.  

What brought this post on today was that there were two different things that happened this week where I failed miserably in this.  And, again, the Lord had to humble me.  He brought to mind the above list and how it's how he would have wanted me to be instead of giving into the fleshly way of handling things.

So my hope for the next hour, the upcoming day, and the upcoming week, is that I act and react as God would want.  I'm so grateful for the patience He shows me and how merciful He is to me and even though he let's me suffer the consequence of my actions, that is His way of showing His love and grace as well.  The verse "Be imitators of God" (Ephesians 5:1) has come into my mind quite often this week and I know I haven't done that.  I don't ever want to feel as if I've gotten away with something.  I want to be convicted.  I want to learn the lessons God is trying to teach.  Not always easy, but I'm willing to learn.  : )

May you enjoy this day.  God bless.